No Surprise
by I.Dream.Of.Hardyz
Summary: When an accident causes Liz's life to fall apart and once friends to become enemies, she's holding onto very little, and praying for a lot more. Her ex is barely clinging to life, and his best friend suddenly wants more... Justin/OC/Heath
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **Okay, I went to WWE Smackdown for the first time yesterday, and I somehow started to like Heath Slater when I didn't before. I always loved Justin Gabriel, and I've wanted to write a story for a while now. I was listening to "No Surprise" from Daughtry earlier and had an idea, lol. It's not what I originally planned, but I think it could be really interesting to write and all. I've never written any of them, including Wade who is also important in this, so, lol. Also, I'm just not using real names in this because it's easier to write. ... and that's all I have to say, so... lol. Enjoy!

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Elizabeth hated all the stares she got as she walked around backstage. Every person who knew her ex stared at her: it was her fault he ended up injured. A rough push sent her into the wall and she cowered when a large, British frame growled. "You," he said, his accent, usually charming, suddenly terrifying. "What do you think you're doing back here?"

She swallowed, unable to answer.

He grabbed her roughly on the chin and forced her eyes into his. A deep and scary hate danced around in them. "Your life is now hell to pay, _bitch_." He let her chin go and stalked away, a few of his followers trailing after him. One of them caught her eye and smiled sadly, as he was the only one who didn't seem to hate her. He motioned at something and she realized it was a phone. _You text me_, he mouthed.

"_Slater_!" Barrett snapped, and the redhead bounded away.

Liz looked down at her phone with trembling fingers. It wasn't even kayfabe. It was real. Everyone hated her. All she ever wanted was adventure in her life, and she wasn't ready to settle down like he was… she never meant for him to really get hurt. And now some said they didn't think he'd ever be the same anymore, possible permanent damage. It was all her fault and she felt sick for that reason.

She texted Slater with a few tears rolling down her face. _Any news?_

A few minutes later, she had a reply for him. _I'm heading for the hospital now. Wanna come?_

She snorted. If Wade saw her with the redhead, his life and hers would be ruined. As if hers wasn't already. _No, it's okay. I don't even belong there anyway… if he could, he'd hate me…_

_You know he wouldn't, Liz._

She smiled weakly. Of course he wouldn't. Justin Gabriel was one of the nicest people she ever met… and she was the reason he'd probably never wrestle ever again. If she would've known this, she wouldn't have broken up with him. Maybe if just stayed for a while longer, he'd be okay… he'd not be on a ventilator that was breathing for him, keeping him alive … barely.

Last she did hear, there was possible brain damage. If he woke up, they'd know more. She watched it happen on the monitor… she felt her heart almost stop when he fell. He always did stop before he did the 450 splash, but this time, his foot slipped. He tumbled forward, even though one of the guys tried to stop him, and hit the apron. And everyone did know the apron is the hardest part of the ring.

All she remembered after was trying to run toward the ring and all the other talent holding her back. And then she remembered the ambulance and the stare that Wade Barrett gave her. She remembered Otunga pushing her aside. She remembered so many tears, and one of the divas trying to console her, but she didn't care. Somehow, she managed to drive to the hospital. It was Wade's fault she couldn't see him. He told a few of the nurses she wasn't allowed. She saw his motionless body once though and it nearly killed her. It was all her fault.

"Liz."

She cursed when she saw him walking toward her. "Come with me," he pleaded.

"I can't," she whispered. "What are you even doing? If Wade sees you talking to me, he'll … I don't know what he'll do, but it won't be good."

"I don't _care_." He stepped forward. "I know you and Justin maybe didn't work, but I know you love him and you want to see him, and if he could say it, he'd want to see you… don't let Wade stop you. He's just a moron."

Liz breathed in slowly. Of course she wanted to see Justin. And yes, she definitely loved Justin but she didn't want Wade to ruin her life. And he would. He was really good at doing stuff like that. She remembered when he was training down in FCW. When she was a ring announcer and nothing more. When he didn't get his way, he was an asshole. And if he wanted to ruin someone, he would. He could also be one of the nicest guys if he liked you… it was just Wade.

"Liz…"

Liz smiled weakly and stepped away. "Maybe when everything is less crazy… I don't want anything to ruin his recovery."

"_Liz_!"

"_Lizzie," he teased, pushing her forward. His smile was so addicting and perfect, she couldn't help but laugh when he smiled at her. She left and walked into the other room for a second to get her make up bag. "Oh, Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie." Don't get her started on his accent… talk about damn perfection. "Where did my little Lizzie go?"_

"_You're so charming," she laughed, walking into the hotel room. "Morning."_

"_Morning," he agreed, sitting up on the bed. He motioned where the bed was, and she walked over, welcoming his touch. He kissed her on the forehead, always an easy romantic and whispered he loved her in his ear. It was all so… so, perfect. So much anyone would want. Inside, while she smiled on the outside, she was yelling. She didn't want this perfect, storybook romance. She wanted adventure. Someone who would take her places and keep her on her feet all the time. She didn't want elegant restaurants and warm sand between her toes… she could have that anytime she wanted. She was only twenty four. Why settle down so young? And why was he?_

"_Lizzie?"_

_He was only allowed to call her Lizzie. Anyone else was punched. "Sorry," she laughed. "What's up?"_

"_I was asking you if you wanted to see that new romantic comedy tonight after the show." He offered one of his cute smiles. "I feel as if we haven't done anything recently."_

Does mind numbing sex count?_ she wondered. If it was one thing they were good at, it was sex. It was one of the few times she loved her relationship with Justin. He was a good man in bed, and she didn't envy anyone else's life._

"_Okay." _A movie… why… so … dull_, she thought and then sighed._

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**My first WWE story in a while, lol. REVIEW.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **Woo, thank you for the reviews! I have a lot of ideas for this story, and it's really fun putting it all together. You'll see more of what will happen with Heath and if Justin will wake up soon. Also, I'm using the internet to write about what Justin's condition will be, so it may not be all correct, but I'm trying my best. If you do notice something to correct me on, let me know, please. Anyway, next chapter, lol. Enjoy!

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"We need you over here, Liz!" were the words that broke her thoughts and brought her back to reality of WWE. A stagehand was standing a few feet away, waving a paper around. She took a deep breath and walked forward. After filming a short promo video, she walked back into the diva's locker room to glares and a few stares.

She picked up her stuff and threw a shirt over her ring gear, not bothering to spend another minute in the building where she was hated. When she drove to the hotel, she thought about her wrestling career. It was Justin's doing that made her a diva. He worked with her before they even were a couple and helped train her, wanting her to learn as she always had. She started as a model, and moved up. She wasn't very good yet but because of Wade, she was called up to the main roster after "Nexus" took over RAW, put into a storyline with a few of the heel divas. It was a fear that now she might be pushed back down to FCW.

Suddenly, what she thought she saw in the road made her skid and nearly crash into another car. Pulling over, Liz put her head down on her hands and cried. He heart raced at the sight of her ex standing there, covered in blood. When she looked behind her, all she saw was road… well that and angry drivers.

Pulling back onto the road, she drove to the hotel and walked into her room, sitting down on the bed.

She remembered when she walked into the hospital right after it happened.

_Wade pushed her aside. "You know it's your fault, right?"_

_"It's not my fault." She folded her arms, keeping up a face. It killed her seeing Wade so angry with her. Did he really think she wanted to hurt Justin at all? She cowered away at his glare and trying to keep up her face._

_"He was fuckin' thinking about you before the match… don't tell me he wasn't thinking about you before he went to do the splash, Liz. Don't tell me. If he dies, it's on your hands."_

_Her heart ached. She always loved watching Justin do the splash, and it was one of the last things he planned on teaching her before she broke up with him. "It's … not … my fault." A choked sob broke through, and she started to cry._

_"Wade, stop," Heath tried. "Stop."_

_"Stay the fuck out of this," he answered, pushing aside his Nexus member. His redheaded friend slammed into the wall. "It's not about you!" He looked at Liz. "You know what? He risked everything and gave everything for you. I got you up here, Liz. I worked my ass off and put in a good word for you. If you were just pulling him along the entire time, you're one fucked up bitch. You're not seeing him, and if I have my way, you'll never see him again. Leave, right fucking now."_

_She stared. Who the fuck did he think he was? She never meant to hurt Justin. She didn't want to pull him along ever… that's why she broke up with him. He wasn't a person who wanted adventure like her. His adventure was in the ring and that was it._

_"I'm seeing him," she answered. "You don't own him."_

_Wade pushed her away and walked up to the nurse's station, who was also watching them with careful eyes, and talked in a low voice. Seconds later, security was escorting her to the door while "Nexus" watched with no remorse. Except for Slater, of course._

She broke up with him the night before, but apparently, he didn't stop thinking about her all night. She never would've imagined it would affect him in the ring or she would've been more careful about it. Just remembering him fall made her sick and she wished for a chance to make things right.

A text woke her from her mind and she noticed it was from Heath and picked it up eagerly. _Call me?_

She did as he asked and a few seconds later, he answered. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hi."

"I just saw his doctors… they seem optimistic."

"Did he wake up yet?"

"No."

Her heart fell. "So, no real news?"

"Well, they did lower the ventilator, so he's breathing more on his own now. According to one of them, they're optimistic they can wean him off it fully in a few days. It's dangerous otherwise doing it at once." Heath sighed. "He doesn't look good, but it was better than what I saw the first night, obviously."

"Why was he on the ventilator anyway?"

"His brain wasn't sending the message to his lungs, I guess."

"So, if he is breathing on his own more now, maybe his brain is functioning more?"

"I'd assume."

A small smile played on her face and she sighed. "So, good news."

"Sure." He sighed again. "Look, I just wanted to call you… I don't want you to think you don't deserve to know what's going on, Liz… you are an important part of his life."

Liz buckled at his words. It killed her, it really did. She knew as much as she didn't want a relationship with him anymore, she would always love Justin. He was one of the most important people in her life, and if she never met him, she couldn't imagine if she'd still have a job at WWE. He gave her so much, and knowing how much she meant to him, especially with what happened, killed her. Swallowing, she started to nod. "I know."

"Wade's just angry… give him time. He's very… emotionally run, if you understand me. He cares a lot about all of us because we came up together… Justin's like his brother. He's just worried, and once Justin is doing better, I'm sure he'll apologize."

"I don't see it happening," Liz sighed. "I… thanks, okay? I know you're risking a lot for calling me."

"Risking what? Wade being pissed? What do you think he's going to do? Yell at me, maybe bitch for a while? We still work on TV together and it stays that way." She frowned. Usually Heath did talk well about his Nexus co member. It seemed as if Justin's injury was doing more to Nexus then she actually imagined. "You act as if he has actual power around here, Liz."

"And if he makes your life hell because of this?"

"Oh well. His problem. I'm still living my dream." He sounded so easily okay with Wade ruining his life. She didn't want this. While she used to be pretty crazy before dating Justin, she was someone who didn't want problems with anyone. "Later, Liz."

After a very listless night's sleep, Liz woke up and rushed to the airport, feeling almost strange leaving Justin in the area. For the last few months, they traveled always together. Leaving alone, and knowing she'd have to enter their apartment alone, she felt sick again. He was in a coma in an unfamiliar hospital while she felt guilty.

Once home, an overwhelming feeling of sadness made her cry. Pictures of friends, of them, and so many other important people surrounded her. As she slowly broke down on their couch, she thought about what she did. Was it really so bad to settle down with someone? Justin loved her more than anything, and she knew he did… so why did she break his heart? Was it so bad to have someone who cared about her? A constant feeling of guilt kept choking her, making it hard for her to breathe. All she wanted was for Justin to be okay. Just how was she supposed to live if he wasn't okay?

One picture made her tear up all over. It was a picture of them in her parent's backyard, on a picnic table, holding hands while kissing, the background full of flowers and summer wonder. It was also one of her favorite pictures of them. She looked so happy, and he looked so thrilled. Her parents adored him. He was perfect, and of course, all of her non WWE friends gushed over him being from South Africa. A few of them still giggled when they heard him talk.

She smiled a little, remembering when she first heard him say a word. She was in awe: gorgeous with a perfect smile. Who was he, and why didn't she know him? It was also then she saw him do the splash for the first time, and he winked when he finished it.

Walking over, he smiled. "Hey, I'm Justin."

"Elizabeth, but call me Liz." He picked up her hand and kissed it. She inwardly swooned.

"Are you working here?"

"I, uh, was hired to ring announce for FCW Wrestling."

"Ah." He smiled again. "Well, maybe someday you'll wrestle. Just work really hard… a dream always comes true if you work for it."

"I'm not a wrestler," she laughed. "I'm a model one of the corporate guys found."

He didn't seem annoyed at this like some of the other wrestlers did. His eyes lit up. "Did you ever consider being a wrestler?"

"I watch once in a while…" She shrugged. It never occurred to her. Actually, she watched a lot. She never actually considered a job as a wrestler though; she'd always modeled, done some TV acting, even a few other strange jobs, but a wrestler? She loved watching it, but actually wrestling like the people on TV? It seemed really hard and she told him.

"It's very much hard," he said. "It's worth it though."

"I'd imagine." She looked around. "So, when does the show start?"

He smiled. "In about an hour." And only a few days after that, they were talking all the time, and about a month later, they started to date.

Almost six months later, Justin and the other NXT guys were called up for NXT. Since then, she'd worked her ass off and was improving as a wrestler each day, following after Justin. It was almost a year since she met him, and it was probably one of the most interesting years of her life.

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**My first WWE story in a while, lol. REVIEW.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **And thank you for the reviews again. Working toward a very fun next chapter, and fun I mean very emotional and scary chapter. I do like this one, as you see a little more from Heath finally, and of course, Liz feels sad about Justin, lol. Enjoy!

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Someone knocking on her door woke her up on the couch early the next morning. Frowning, she slowly leaned over and looked at the time. 9:18. Whoever decided it was a good time to wake her up obviously wanted to be killed. Liz stood up slowly and walked to the door, opening it to see Heath standing there with a smile.

"What happened?" she demanded, seeing his eye for the first time.

He touched it softly and shrugged. "Well, hello." She scowled and he smirked. "A fight."

"A fight?" she demanded again, pushing him onto her couch. Forget killing him, now she was worried.

"Wade and I got in a fight at the hospital yesterday. Someone told him I called you, and well, he wasn't happy." His eye was nearly swollen shut, and it made her want to throw up… why was her entire life falling apart? Her friends all hated her, and the ones who didn't … well, were fighting with the ones who did. Her eyes slowly filled with tears. "Liz, don't cry. Come on, don't cry."

"It's all my fault, Wade's right," she cried, sitting down next to him. "First Justin and now you? What's next? As much as I'm mad at him, what, is someone going to push Wade off a cliff? I mean, come on!" She stood up, frustrated. "I've worked so hard. Justin promised if I worked hard, everything would pay off. So, I did break up with him. Why does my entire world have to fall apart because of it? I wish I could just … I just…" Liz broke down again in sobs, falling onto the floor. She hated feeling as if everything was her fault. And even if he told her it wasn't, she knew it was… it was her fault.

"Oh, Liz," he whispered, pulling her up. "What happens with me and Wade has nothing to do with you. He's being a moron right now, and he's scared like the rest of us. I told you this. We're all worried for him. He can only act angry for so long before he breaks. I'm not angry with him… I know him. I've known him for almost three years now. He'll finally realize what he's doing and finally apologize."

Liz didn't say anything. She wanted everything he said to be true, but she knew Wade was really angry with her. She didn't care if Heath knew Wade… she saw the anger in Wade's eyes. He offered a smile and she just sighed.

"I want Justin to wake up and everything to be okay," she whispered, crawling over to where he was sitting, and leaning on him. "Maybe then you'll be right. And Wade won't kill me."

"He'll wake up," Heath mused. "He's a wrestler. We're tough."

She looked up with a weak smile. "Says the one who saw a spider the other day and ran away."

"Dude, that fucking thing was the size of my hand, man." He folded his arms. "Leave me alone."

She sat up and kissed his cheek. "You know I love you, Heath. I'm just playing with you."

"It's good seeing you smile," he murmured suddenly, pushing her hair away from her face. He stared at her for a minute and then looked away. "I should probably go for a while. I'm sure you want to be alone." He stood, yet didn't move. "What are you planning on doing with the apartment?"

Liz hadn't considered this. Upset from what happened, she was too overwhelmed with sadness to remember Justin was the one who got the apartment for them. "I really don't know," she admitted. "I guess I'll just have to wait for Justin to wake up and see what he wants to do." _If he wakes up_, she added.

"Oh." Heath shifted slowly. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but then just looked away. "Well, I'll see you, I'm sure. Are you set for the house shows this weekend?"

"Of course." Liz forced a smile. "See you soon, Heath."

"Later, Liz." He left her house minutes after arriving, and Liz couldn't help but feel strange at the way he left. After the way he looked at her, she got a feeling of chills, and it worried her. Why did he look at her that way? Was he starting to believe what Wade said? She didn't want another enemy. She had enough of them. She had a locker room full of them, actually. Liz was usually tough, had a loud mouth, and didn't care what anyone thought of her, but somehow, Justin's injury, maybe Justin himself had become her one weakness.

Walking into her kitchen, she saw the dry erase board that sat on the fridge, which they kept for important reminders, such as WWE charity events, or appointments to non WWE places. What was on it caught her and she smiled as a few more tears slipped through her eyes. _Morning, beautiful. Ek is lief vir jou. _If she remembered, it meant he loved her. He always did leave her cute little messages like that. Why didn't she remember seeing that the morning they left for the airport? she wondered. Oh, right, it was the morning she broke up with him. No wonder he acted so strangely all morning, she usually kissed him when she read the messages. While she actually thought he caught on, he was probably worried about that.

Sitting down, Liz wondered how he was doing now. All the WWE superstars who were visiting him were now gone, all retreating to respective states for a few days rest until the weekend house shows. Suddenly, she realized something. All the WWE superstars weren't there anymore. If she wanted to, she could visit him without anyone saying a word. And she did want to visit him… just as long as Wade wasn't around.

Liz considered it. It was about a seven hour drive from where she was… she could be there in time for afternoon visiting hours. Without much other thought, she grabbed a few important things: her phone, her debit card, some clothes, and a few of Justin's favorite things, including his favorite hoodie, and took off for the road.

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**Poor Justin, lol. REVIEW.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **And thank you again for all of the reviews. You are awesome, seriously. I'm so very nervous with this story since it's the first WWE story I've written in a long time, and not with wrestlers who I've written before. I really wanted this story to look good and I think it is so far. And this chapter is really fun because it shows Liz tell off Wade a little, and even Justin gets involved... even if he's not awake. You'll see, lol. Enjoy!

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It was really hard not to worry as she drove to the hospital. All she could see was her relationship with Justin over the last few months. All the really good parts, all the parts she wished to forget. Everything else, all the traveling, the rough times when it came to being apart from your family for so long, and your WWE family who was always there for you. She could remember spending all her time with Justin and his friends, watching them on NXT, and then Nexus. When Wade didn't really hate her. When Nexus was still whole, and not missing its high flyer.

Memories were overflowing in her head, causing more tears. She played one of Justin's mix tapes, one he swore reminded him of her, and just showed how perfect he was. Once again, a thought danced in her mind: was having someone care for you ridiculous?

Making almost record time in one of her drives, Liz pulled into the parking lot of the hospital about five and a half hours later, her insides tossing like a salad. Still worried and not knowing what to expect, she picked up her things, and Justin's, and walked up to the information desk inside the hospital. A young woman looked up when she stood there, and stared.

"I'm looking for Justin Gabriel's room number." And quickly, she added, "I'm his girlfriend." If he was still in the ICU, she wanted to make sure she could get in after driving for that long of a time.

"He's in the ICU." After a second, the woman continued, "Room 7. You must check in with a nurse before entering."

Liz thanked her and walked over to where the elevators were. Ever since she was a kid, hospitals had scared her more than anything else in the world. With so little to come there for a good reason, the overwhelming sadness and worry that was drenched into the hallways left for a sickening feeling all around. Looking at faces around her, no one held a smile, or even a look of content: people were here because they were worried about loved ones.

Once the elevator opened, she stepped inside, repeating the room number until she walked onto the ICU. It looked so familiar, seeing the place where Wade yelled at her. And now pretty much silent, it gave her a feeling of chills.

"Can I help you?" a voice asked.

Another nurse stared back at her. "I'm here visiting my boyfriend," she said after a moment. "At the information desk…"

"What's his name?"

"Justin." She took a deep breath. "Justin Gabriel."

After a second, the nurse stood up. "Are you aware of his condition...?" She trailed off, obviously searching for a name to call her.

"Liz. Call me Liz."

She smiled. "Liz… are you aware of his condition? I haven't seen you here before."

Something in her voice annoyed Liz, but she pushed it away and took another deep breath. "I travel for work like Justin. It's the first time I was able to make the drive down here, I'm afraid, so no, I'm probably not caught up on his condition. His friends are keeping me updated, but I last heard from them yesterday."

"I'm Annie," she explained. "I'm his main nurse here. We're monitoring Justin very closely right now, as his condition is very fragile. Most brain injuries are. We can't really do much until he wakes from the coma he fell in after arriving, but we're keeping him comfortable until then, and he is also on a machine that reads brain activity. It only shows brain function, which he does show, and that's always a good thing, I assure you."

"What were … what were the extent of his injuries?"

"He came in with some bleeding and swelling of the brain… I'd assume from the fall." Annie sighed. "We were able to reduce swelling and stop the bleed. If it would've been a larger bleed, it probably would've killed him. You've heard of that, I'm sure." Liz must've looked overwhelmed, as the nurse stopped. "I apologize. I know its hard hearing something like this. I assure you he is in good hands."

"I'm sorry, continue," Liz said, wiping her eyes. It sounded really bad, and it scared her.

"Well, there is also a risk of paralysis with head and neck injuries. Your spine is connected to your head and neck, as you know. We also won't know this until he wakes up."

Liz sighed. "What are his chances of waking up?"

"I'm pleased with the brain activity and its improved signs. We were able to lower the use of the ventilator he was placed on for help breathing. He was placed…"

"I'm aware of the ventilator. Just how long until he breathes on his own now?"

"We're estimating about another twenty four hours before lowering it another twenty percent, and then, depending on how he does with that, fully the next day, I'd like. He's responding well to it, so I'm sure it'll be fine." Annie smiled. "He's certainly pushing himself, I think. Most patients don't respond as well as he has."

"He's a fighter," Liz murmured, looking around.

"I'm sure you would like to see him now," Annie said. "I'll show you to his room, follow me."

She did and seconds later, was standing in front of his room, unable to move her feet toward the door, afraid of what she would see when she walked in. A feeling of dread and worry was pitted in her stomach, anchored there. Annie had left after showing her. "Okay," she whispered, and opened the door. It took all of three seconds for her to see him hooked up to the machines and what he looked like before tears were blurring her vision and making her dizzy. Justin's head was shaved fully, white bandages covering him. He was sickly pale. As if in response to her tears, the ventilator hissed as it helped him breathe, and Liz choked. Nausea overwhelmed her, and she searched for a place to vomit.

Once she finally maintained some kind of composure, Liz walked over to his bed and took his hand. As she attempted to hold back more tears, she kissed it. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Sitting down, she pulled his favorite hoodie out and placed it on his bed. "I thought you'd want it. I know you forgot it the morning of… yeah. I'm sorry, Justin." All the machines stood over her, making her nervous. He was so helpless and injured. Liz sighed, feeling helpless herself. He didn't look like the Justin she knew, he looked like someone else. He'd never want to be stuck like this.

"What the _fuck_ do you mean his girlfriend is here?" a voice suddenly yelled from outside his room, and Liz cringed as she recognized it. Wade would show up when she decided to visit. "And I'm also telling you he doesn't have a girlfriend. You let someone in here without fuckin' checking their ID. He's a pro wrestler. Some crazy fan could've walked in…"

"I assure you sir; this woman seemed to care for him a lot…"

"You are a _moron_," he said and the door swung open, and she saw he finally realized who it was. His eyes narrowed and for a second, Liz saw his character, and not the real man Wade. He glared at the nurse and pointed to her. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Wade…" Liz started. "Please, not in front of him."

"Do you even think he can hear you?" Wade yelled. "Fuck!"

"Actually… coma patients do hear…"

"_Lady_, fucking stay out of this!" Wade charged forward. "You aren't allowed here. I don't care if they let you in."

Liz, suddenly more annoyed with Wade than scared, stood up. "I told you already, you don't own him and I may not be his girlfriend anymore, but I assure you, he'd want me here."

"Who said?" Wade chuckled darkly. "Slater? He doesn't fuckin' know shit, sweetheart."

She attempted ignoring him, but it stung. "Fuck you."

"What?" Wade smirked. "Can't handle it? He was pissed at you."

More so pissed and tired of Wade's attack, she pushed him back, careful not to hit Justin's bed as she did so. "You're nothing more than his friend, Wade. And he might hate me, I don't know, but I dated him for nearly a year, and I know him. If it were me, he'd still be here, and I know he'd want me here. So, you can back the fuck off, right now."

Wade looked at the nurse. "I want her out of here. She has absolutely no reason to be in here, and the other nurse has already had her thrown from the hospital."

Annie was about to reply when suddenly, something wailed from Justin's bed. Alarmed, Liz jumped back, and Annie's eyes jumped into action. She moved over, and started playing with his machines. When the alarm stopped, she looked at Wade. "Let me just say, if you don't believe that he can hear you, you should know his heart rate just jumped about thirty beats more a minute when you said that."

Liz smiled. Justin knew she was here.

Wade stumbled for a moment. "I… I don't care! I want her gone from here, right now, lady!"

"I'll call around, it may take a while," Annie said, smiling at Liz. Something about Annie seemed to trust Liz, and she appreciated it. Wade started yelling at her, and followed her out of the room.

Once alone, Liz laughed. "I'm sorry, Justin," she whispered finally. "I don't mean to cause problems, and I actually don't know if you'd want me here, but I _want_ to be here, and I hope that's okay with you." She squeezed his hand. "I just want you to know, I do love you and I want you to be okay… so please, be okay."

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**Aw, Justin, lol. REVIEW.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **And thank you for the reviews! I love all the replies I'm getting for this, on here and on tumblr. I'm happy you all like the story, and I hope this chapter is good, lol. Enjoy!

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Liz spent a while in his room, just looking at him, reliving memories of their relationship. "Okay, I don't think there is much more for me to do here, Justin. I'll visit you again soon, and hopefully your friend Wade won't be such a jerk about it. I know he's mad, that's what Heath says, but God, it just hurts." Placing one more kiss on his hand, she stood up and smiled at him. "Just like you did when you met me."

Walking from his room, Liz was ready to walk to the elevator when she saw Annie at the nurse's station and decided she owed her a thank you. Annie looked up when she walked over and a smile was instantly on her face. "I just wanted to say thank you."

"It's not a problem." Annie set down some papers and shrugged. "If I actually thought you were a threat, I would've called security." Distantly, she added. "I know just how hard it is to want to be there for someone when it comes to a brain injury."

Liz shifted her body; a little uncomfortable… it seemed as if Annie was reliving something from her own life. "I'm sorry."

"My boyfriend of three years," Annie continued in a distant voice. "Car accident. Died within days. I was afraid to see him the way he was, and he died before I had a chance to say goodbye… it still haunts me to this day, and I saw a sad look in your eyes… guilt, maybe."

Awkwardly, she shrugged.

"Anyway," Annie said, offering a more optimistic smile. "Enough of my sob story. You're welcome."

After seconds more of conversation, Liz left the ICU and took the elevator down to the main floor, intending on driving back to her apartment. It was almost a relief having someone on her side, if only a stranger. Liz realized Annie risked her job letting her stay in the hospital room for as long as she did.

In thought, she was only seconds from the entrance when someone stopped her. Wade. _Angry_ Wade.

"Enough," Liz said, attempting to push his larger frame aside. He didn't move. "I don't want to talk to you, and I'm slightly creeped that you waited for me to leave."

"It's amazing just how fast you come running back once you realize you were at fault," he said, his accent thick. "You pretend as if you are some hero when you're really the problem here, Liz. Slater might say everything is fine, but you shouldn't believe him." Wade chuckled. "Justin hated you, _Lizzie_."

Refusing to say a word to him, Liz waited until he was done ranting at her so she could leave. Instead, he just smirked down at her, waiting for her to say a word. When she didn't, he continued.

"Once a whore, always a whore," he whispered into her ear, finally walking away.

A few days continued and Liz found herself sitting backstage of a WWE Raw House Show. After looking it over, she was set to face Maryse in a short, probably uncared for match where Maryse would dominate. So far, she was successful in avoiding all of Nexus, most of all, Slater. And she also knew he was looking for her, asking around. Liz didn't want to see anyone anymore. Ever since Wade said that Justin hated her, she had felt like crap. Even more, it annoyed her that Wade used Justin's nickname for her when he said it.

Walking around, a few other wrestlers were preparing for their matches, some talked, and others stared at her.

_"Sweetie," Justin said, looking up from where he was, lacing his boots. "You look upset. You're worrying me."_

_Liz faked a smile. "I'm fine. Just tired."_

_He didn't look convinced. "Maybe you should sleep for a while. Your match isn't until later." He looked so concerned and it almost killed her. She couldn't wait much longer anymore. She didn't want to put Justin in any more pain than she had to. With a sigh, Liz sat down on the locker room chair and looked at him with sad eyes. Another pain jolted through her at the look in his eyes. He was ready to do anything to make her feel better. "Liz, maybe you should see the doctor here…"_

_"I'm fine," she insisted. "Really."_

_"Sweetie…"_

_"Justin, look, I didn't want to do this here, before your match, and I just don't want to hurt you at all."_

_His face lit up in a smile. "Lizzie, hurt me? You couldn't even hurt me if you tried."_

_Liz looked down at her ring gear and thought about her year. Everything she did have was because of him, and she was about to say fuck you. Justin just stared at her, oblivious to what was about to happen. He was so good to her… why did he have to make it so difficult?_

_"Justin, I don't want to see you anymore."_

_Refusing to look at him, she bit down on her lip, something she never did, and waited. He didn't say anything at first. He just sat there. A little alarmed, she peeked up, and his face was enough to make her want to cry. Justin never looked so upset before… his life was going to well, and she probably just destroyed him. An uncomfortable silence followed, and Liz focused on her phone, waiting for him to say something to her._

_Finally, he stood. She noticed his knees almost buckled under him, and sighed. "Okay. If that's what you want, Lizzie." Still a Lizzie, not even a Liz. He didn't even yell at her, ask her why. He just continued on as if it was all he could do. If it was her, she would be yelling, crying, asking what she did. Of course, Justin wouldn't do that. He was just too good for any of it._

_His face did show what he really thought though, and she worried. Only minutes later, Nexus's theme shook the arena, and Liz decided she would watch their match. It was Nexus in a tag match, and she vaguely remembered him mentioning he was set to use his finisher for the win. A sad realization came over her: he was supposed to show her that._

_Wade started it, keeping their opponent grounded for a while, using moves that showed him off best, while the crowd booed one of WWE's faster rising heels. As Wade jumped and tagged in Heath, Justin and Wade started to whisper. Wade looked angry, Justin looked annoyed. Liz sighed… it was definitely about her._

_A few minutes passed. Main event wrestling sometimes took forever. With a very fast tag, Justin was in the ring, and dominating his opponent with his fast moves and impacts. _He's so damn talented;_ she thought and rubbed her eyes. As the crowd cheered, Justin got up on the top rope in Nexus's corner. A smile played on a few of the Nexus members, and even Liz had to smile… what the crowd would see is magic, and one of the best finishers in WWE. It happened in seconds, and her stomach pitted at the sight of her ex boyfriend falling toward the apron, unable to stop. Wade pulled at him, but he still fell._

_Everyone who was in the audience froze. It was like a movie as a stretcher was wheeled to the ring, and she found herself running toward the curtain, hoping someone would let her go to the ring, and all she heard was worried voices stopping her._

_"Liz, just wait!"_

_As Wade walked through the curtain, she saw the worry in his eyes. She ran up to him, but he walked past her. Oh, right, she broke up with Justin… people were mad at her. He walked over to where a few other superstars were standing, waiting for some news._

_"He's unconscious." Wade stood, his usually dark eyes full of emotion. "He fell really hard."_

_"I'm sure he just knocked himself out," a stagehand said._

_Wade nodded. Liz felt dizzy._

"Liz, there you are!" Liz cursed as she heard Heath say her name. He ran up to her with a wide smile. His eye was less swollen, still a little dark in parts. WWE would probably say he got it wrestling at another show. He stared at her when she didn't say anything. "What's wrong?"

Liz shrugged. "I don't want to be here. I hate everyone staring at me as if it really was my fault."

"It wasn't your fault." Heath pulled her over. "Just how many times do I have to tell you that?"

"It was my fault," she answered, shaking her head. "You can say it, but it was… when have you ever seen him fall doing the move?"

He didn't answer, but pulled her close. "I really don't like seeing you upset. I wish I could make you smile more. I know you're having a rough time with him getting hurt."

"I visited him."

"What?" Heath looked surprised. "You did?"

"A few days ago," she answered. "And ran into Wade. He yelled at me again, said a lot of stupid shit." She took a deep breath and looked at her friend. "He called me a whore… and said Justin hated me."

"You're not a whore," he answered in a voice that scared her, it was that angry. "He's just…"

"If you say he's upset one more time, I'll kill you." Liz smiled weakly. "He's upset, I know. It doesn't mean he must make my life hell, Heath. I don't like that he brought up my past either. He didn't call me a whore for any reason. He's talking about the pictures."

"Do you see how many other divas posed like those?" he asked her. "Your pictures weren't that bad."

"It doesn't matter." Liz thought about the pictures she took about three years ago, and just how many people saw them. It wasn't a professional magazine… it was for a trashy one which offered her money for the pictures, and she was desperate at the time. "It's… they exist and now they're causing even more problems." When he didn't answer, Liz just sighed. "I'm a model… that's all I'll ever be, especially now that I broke up with him. I mean, I'm not saying I should've stayed with him to wrestle, but I'd like to actually prove something about me, that I wasn't just another diva… even the trainers down at FCW said I showed promise. And he … he said if I worked hard… well, I'd get somewhere. I really wanted to believe that."

Heath smiled suddenly. "I could always train you."

"You're in enough trouble right now, Heath, no." He was already excited though and jumped up, ranting about how awesome it would be. His accent was thick and even she had to laugh at him. "Heath… come on, you don't have time as it is."

"And you really think that Justin had any more time than I did?"

"Justin was my boyfriend at the time," she reminded him with a laugh.

"Let me," he pleaded, pulling her up. "Come on, I want to do this… anything to see you smile again, and I know you love training and wrestling, so let me."

She did love watching others and loved training herself. And Heath did seem to want to show her… why not? As much as she wanted to worry about Wade, she figured he wouldn't care eventually. He could only yell for so long at her. "Okay, okay, you can train me."

He jumped. "Yes! I can't wait to show you some moves."

_"Slater_!" a voice yelled, and a stagehand waved at him. "Your match is next."

He smiled. "I'll see you later."

She kissed his cheek. "Kick ass."

"I always do, I'm the one man rock band, dude!" He laughed and ran off.

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**Aw, so cute, lol. REVIEW.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **And thank you for the reviews. I love writing this story. It's a lot of fun and it's cute. Enjoy!

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"Just relax, we're almost there." Liz scowled at her friend. He almost dragged her from the apartment building an hour earlier, swearing they were going to train at the local wrestling school but when they passed the building a few minutes earlier, something told her they were going somewhere else and he refused to say where, driving her insane. "Oh, don't you even try pouting at me. It doesn't work, Liz."

Liz rolled her eyes. "It's early. You get me up early on one of my few days off, I'm mad at you."

"Relax," he repeated, offering one of his charming smiles. He placed a hand on her arm and she pushed him off. "Excuse me!"

She smiled. "I'd say I was sorry."

"You would and you're obviously not," he teased.

Heath spent all of his time the last few days with her, showing her a few moves that didn't need a ring, and they watched more wrestling videos in his extensive collection. He had videos all the way back into the early 80s and even Liz was impressed. He had many people who didn't like him, but if they realized how much he wanted to be a really good wrestler, she wondered they still would.

He pulled off a road and Liz looked around, seeing no other cars. "If I end up on the news, I'll come back and haunt your ass, I swear," she warned.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I'm so excited you trust me."

"You realize I'm just playing with you."

"I do." He smirked and pulled off another road, onto a highway. Liz recognized where she was suddenly and smiled. "We're near … why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a surprise." He pulled off the highway and into a parking lot of an old building which he and Justin bought six months earlier for themselves. It had a ring inside of it, as well as a wide screen and full room of food. It was pretty much any wrestler's dream place. Parking, he walked over to her side of the car, and smiled at her face. "Liz, I didn't bring you here to train."

"You didn't?" she asked as she stretched. As the warm sun peeked over the clouds, Heath led her toward the building and she wondered why they were here if she wasn't about to train with him there. He just offered a smile and when he opened the door, she was surprised. Inside, the ring wasn't a ring anymore. It looked as if it were a bed, and on the bed were all her favorite foods and movies.

"I figured you have been training so much in the last few days, you could use a nice day of relaxing," he insisted.

"We could've done this at my apartment," she reminded him.

"Away from your apartment," he added. "I figured you would enjoy watching a movie on a screen with your favorite person ever." He offered a wide smile. "And if you didn't notice, I meant me."

Liz laughed and wiped a few tears from her eyes. "I… thank you. I didn't expect anyone to be thinking of me right now."

"I knew you weren't," he whispered. His sad expression melted and he ran into the ring, jumping on it as all the food and movies jumped as well. "So, what do you want to watch first?"

Liz smiled. "I don't really care."

About a week later, almost three weeks since Justin's accident, Liz found herself driving toward the hospital again early one morning, hoping this time, she wouldn't run into anyone. Every time she felt lonely lately, she would think of Justin, look at some pictures, just anything to make herself stop wanting to cry. People still looked at her like she deserved to die, and most of her friends still wouldn't talk to her, let alone look at her… all because she broke up with someone.

Except, Heath. He found it important to spend every second he could with her. He trained with her when he could, showing her a few more moves, some she was able to do, some she wished never to try again, and some one day, she could see as her finisher. He often stayed over her apartment, making sure she was okay. While she appreciated it, it was a little creepy. While his movie day was fun, since then, it was strange. He acted as if she wasn't able to survive alone… which she could. It just really sucked.

While there wasn't much news on Justin, the doctors were still optimistic he would wake up. Still, three weeks was a long time to be in a coma, and it worried everyone who cared about him and all his fans, as well. Liz was one of the few people who knew his password on several websites, and the concern for him was overwhelming and she knew he would smile if he could see it. Fans made videos, posted pictures… and even words alone were some of the nicest things she had ever seen… they really loved him.

Her phone went off, and she already knew it was Heath. A text from him said _where the fuck are you?_

She might've left him in her apartment without telling him where she went. It was just one way to leave without him following her.

Liz laughed. _On my way to see Justin. Sorry, I didn't want to wake you._

_Seriously? I would've went with you._

He would've. It was one of the main reasons she didn't tell him. It was seeing Justin that was all hers lately, and made her feel better. Ever since his heart rate jumped when Wade yelled, she believed he could hear her. And he didn't seem very angry with her. In fact, it sounded as if he wanted her there. It was really nice not having to worry about someone calling you a whore.

It was a long walk up to the ICU, and Liz felt a little dizzy as she walked onto the floor. It was Annie at the nurse's station, and she felt a little better when she looked up and smiled.

"Liz, right?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"It's good seeing you. He hasn't seen very many visitors lately."

A frown fell on her face. "Really?"

"Well, except for that large British man who just stares at me now. He's here almost every day."

_Really_. "Oh… well, we all travel, so it's hard for us to visit. I assure you, we all worry about him." Liz walked over. "Any updates on his condition?"

"Sorry, none since you called last night." Annie smiled.

"Sorry… I just worry… especially after the ventilator issue." Justin had a problem when they tried to remove the ventilator fully off him, and his lung nearly collapsed from the pressure put on it. At the end, it was put back in, and stayed there.

"We're considering weaning him off it again," Annie said, looking toward his room. "It's not a good thing to have it in so long, and we think this time, his lungs are ready. I know we said that last time, but he's showed a lot of good signs in the last few days."

Liz nodded. She did really trust his doctors and nurses. Most doctors wouldn't bother to keep up with a patient who was in a coma, but all of them worked hard, especially Annie. She learned a lot about Annie just the way she talked, and she appreciated her. Something about her seemed to really trust Liz, when most still gave her looks when she walked into the hospital. Maybe it was because of her ex boyfriend she mentioned, maybe it was just because Liz looked like a good person.

"As long as I've known him, he's never given up on anything," Liz said, finally answering her. _Including me,_ she added sadly. "He'll wake up. And then he'll want to wrestle the second he can, and complain when he can't."

Annie smiled. "I searched him online a few days ago. He's very impressive."

"He's one of the best I've seen in a while." Liz thought about the 450 splash. "His finisher is one of the most amazing things to watch… and it's also what got him injured…"

"I saw him do one of those. It looks painful."

"It is." Liz shrugged. "He says doing the move is worth the pain, especially when he sees the look on a fan's face. I don't see myself ever doing a move that puts me in pain… he's … he's Justin."

"I'll let you go see him," Annie said, waving toward his room. "You did want to see him, I'm sure."

"Of course." Liz thanked her and walked toward the room. Justin was still very pale, and still heartbreaking to see, but she did notice his hair was slowly growing back. Sitting down, she took his hand and kissed it. Every time she did visit him, she did this. It reminded her of their relationship.

Somehow, while whispering to him, she fell asleep, and was surprised when someone saying her name woke her up almost three hours later. Standing over her was Heath, and he looked amused. "I didn't realize hospital chairs were so comfortable," he teased.

She rubbed her eyes. Did he really just drive six hours to come here? Something told her it wasn't for Justin either, but instead to watch her and make sure she wasn't crazy. "Shut up. Don't tell me you just drove here."

He handed a small coffee to her. "I did. I felt left out." A small smile.

"Baby," she teased, and looked at Justin's body. "I wish he would wake up."

"Me too." He sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "What did his nurse tell you?"

Liz shrugged. "Really, nothing important. Annie mentioned an idea of taking him off the ventilator again… I just hope he's okay to do that… especially after last time."

"Do you want to go for a walk? Looks like you need a break."

She agreed, and they left his room, promising Annie they'd return in a few minutes. It was a very large hospital, and they decided to walk to the main entrance. At first, she didn't want to say anything, appreciating the comfortable silence, until Heath looked at her. "I'm worried about you."

"Why?" she wondered.

"You don't seem happy until you're here, and you look miserable anywhere else. I just want you to be happy… you know Justin wouldn't want you to spend all your life sad, waiting for him to wake up."

"I know." She didn't continue. She knew he was about to rant.

"And I also know that Wade isn't letting up, and it's pissing me off. He isn't perfect, and don't let him fool you, he's broken several hearts over the years, some he probably doesn't even remember. If he really thinks you wanted to hurt Justin and make sure he never wrestled again, you probably wouldn't have done what you did." Heath stopped and looked at her. "In fact, I think you did what was best."

"What do you mean?"

Heath shrugged. "I never saw you as a perfect couple."

"Heath," she started. "You always referred to us as a cute couple."

"Cute, yes," he continued. "Perfect? No."

"Just… it's just not my point. I'm saying, he acts as if you wanted Justin hurt. I never saw it that way, and that's why I'm not putting up with his shit. I know you, Liz. I've known you since you started in FCW, only a few days after Justin did, and I want you happy. You're a wonderful person and you deserve to live your life, not feeling guilty for an accident."

"Heath…"

"Don't Heath me." He sent down his coffee and made Liz look at him. He wouldn't let go of her arm, and it sent chills down her body. Something about his eyes were very haunting and she wished to look away from him. "Liz, you're amazing, and you know that."

"Heath… stop." She tried making him let go. "I want… I want to see Justin!"

When he finally let her go, she relaxed. "Liz…"

"I just want to see Justin," she replied in a firm voice. "I'm not feeling guilty, I just want him better. And Annie says coma victims can hear you. Instead of all of us fighting, we should all be working toward getting Justin better. Annie says Wade is here all the time, and if you stopped being pissed at him, and I stopped wanting to kill him, and he stopped being an angry jerk, we could actually help him… which is what we all know is what should happen right now, okay."

"Do you really think I don't want Justin well?" Heath whispered. "He's … he's my best friend."

"I didn't say that. I just don't want anyone making more problems right now. I'm not feeling guilty… and I would appreciate, as much as I know you mean well, if you stopped following me around everywhere. I'm not a sad little puppy who needs to be watched… yes, I'm scared, but I'm okay… I'm okay."

"Okay, okay." Heath picked up his coffee. He looked distant suddenly. "We can see Justin. Let's go."

Liz sighed and followed him.

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**Liz is a little mad, lol. REVIEW.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry about not u

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Liz stared at the parking lot of the hospital, sipping her third coffee of the day. After excusing herself from Heath's company, she walked around the hospital until she arrived back in the hospital café. It was severely awkward ever since their chat in the hall, and even visiting Justin didn't help. Sitting alone, Liz couldn't get over the grip he had on her arm and the alarming look in his eyes.

Her mind wandered to Justin and she wondered if he realized things were tense between her and Heath. He wouldn't appreciate this. Heath was his best friend, and always had nice words to say about him. Maybe she overreacted to Heath; maybe she just was pushing Heath away instead of letting him in. He really did want to help, and she was using all her free time on Justin lately.

His smile rocked her head and a few tears slipped from her eyes. It was almost a month, and she never expected to miss him. And then again, she never expected his injury. Still, she expected adventure since their breakup and all she got was a hospital room. So much for adventure.

A person sat down next to her, and worried eyes met hers. Immediately, she pushed herself back, and then relaxed pitifully as he frowned. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know you just want to help me, Heath… I'm really sorry."

"Oh, _no_, Liz, you were right. I'm suffocating you and that's not fair. I've spent all my time with you, and I'm not thinking about you… I know you love Justin, even if you aren't together. I said a few things I shouldn't of, and I apologize. You're worried, it's only fair."

Liz didn't answer. "I'm _worried_." She paused and then looked at Heath. "If he doesn't wake up, I have to live with that. It's all my fault and I can't stand being away from anymore… and the worst part? I don't even know if it's because I love him, or if it's from guilt. Just how fucked up is that?"

"Don't cry," he muttered, pulling her closer. "Please don't cry. Fuck, Liz. Please."

Liz felt ridiculous, crying in the hospital café, but she did anyway. He pulled her into his arms, and for the first time in weeks, she felt safe. It was just okay for her to cry over what was happening, and it was the first time she admitted the reason she was so worried was possibly guilt and not the fact that she loved him. She did love Justin, but did she love him that much? If she did, she wouldn't have broken up with him… right?

"You're a wonderful person, Liz. You work really hard."

"Shut up, please."

"I'm serious."

"I know you are, it's not my point." She wiped her eyes, and stared into the redhead's concerned eyes. "My point is I'm a mess and I can't even work at my job without feeling like breaking down between segments."

Heath didn't say anything but just nodded.

"I feel like I'm just falling apart, and then Justin isn't really getting better. Everyone says he is, but what the fuck has changed? He's still in a coma, and he's still on the ventilator."

"Do you remember what you told me the day that Wade walked into the room that day?" Heath reminded her. He pushed his hands around her wrists, gently. "Do you remember?"

"What, Wade calling me shit? Yeah, thanks for remind me."

"Liz, no, I mean when Wade told you to leave, and Justin's heart rate went up. He's inside… he's inside of there… he's still fighting, and he'll continue to fight… you must have hope."

Liz just sighed. "I lost hope a while ago." Heath's crushed look just about killed her, but she just shrugged anyway. What was hope anymore? Where was justice in this world? Just how was she alive when the man who everyone loved was barely clinging to his damn well perfect life?

A few days later, and it was another RAW. All the days were going into the next, and Liz could barely remember what day it was. If it wasn't for Heath, she would've missed her flights.

Nexus was still on top, even without Justin. Wade led his group perfectly, his heel persona dark and menacing, showing what a heel stable should be. She watched enthralled even though Wade still wouldn't look at her. A part of her was jealous for Justin, knowing how much this all meant to him, and another part of her just wished he'd experience the thrill of the ring again one day.

"Hey." Surprised, Liz pulled her eyes away from the screen. Standing there, were a few of the divas. "Just wanted you to know we're all in a match," one of them said. Did they not think she could read?

"Yeah, I read the script."

"Well," Maryse said, smiling coldly. "Just making sure you don't injure anyone else tonight, so you're not being tagged in. Brie is using your spot, and you'll just stand there and look… _well_… if it's possible for you to look _pretty_, try."

Liz backed away from the screen, and folded her arms. "You're unbelievable."

"And you're a whore," Maryse answered.

"Looks who is calling the kettle black," Liz snapped defensively. Inside, she was pulling those fake extensions out of her bleached hair. Outside, she cowered. Like she always did.

"Whore."

"Just keep playing with me." She took a step forward and was pleased with Maryse and her friends stepped back. "You wanna really start with me? You won't like what you're dealing with. I may play nice and just roll my eyes, but you will see a Liz you didn't expect if you piss me off."

With that, Liz stalked toward the curtain and waited for her cue to walk to the ring. She was more than happy to be face at this point, because if she wasn't, she couldn't have enjoyed shoving Maryse's face into the mat the few times she did that night. It was easy, actually, and Maryse was all talk. While Liz wasn't the best in the ring, she was better than Maryse and she proved it. Purposely, she ended up tagging herself in, much to the shock of those who agreed to keep her from tagging in. She charged Maryse and took her down, stiffly working the match until the ref stopped her. With a smile, she continued her assault until the signal to end the match was made.

Watching all of the divas, she set up for a move that she learned only a few days before, and jumped off the top rope into a variation of a moonsault, falling onto Maryse. As the young woman complained under her, she got the count and stood up, smiling at the divas.

"Bitch," she mouthed to Maryse, and stalked off the ring with a smile.

All the anger and pain she felt all week had melted off her when she was in the ring, and Heath was waiting for her backstage, a smile on his face. She didn't even care if Wade was around, she jumped into his arms and didn't let go. "I did it!"

"And that's what I call a finisher… _naw mean_?"

Liz only laughed and pulled him in for another hug. She didn't even care what Maryse said about her anymore. She didn't care what anyone thought in that moment.

"I feel so… so…"

"Breathless… enthralled… sexy?" he added innocently.

She smacked him. "Watch it."

Heath shrugged. "Well… let's celebrate! You, me, a bar. Some drinks. _Party_!"

"Party," she repeated. "I could definitely go for a drink."

"On me," he added with a hopeful smile.

"Deal."

He picked her up, and tossed her around, obviously proud of what she accomplished. Liz could only smile.

"So, why didn't you tell me you were planning on using the move? I thought you wanted to wait a while."

"It was on a whim." Liz followed after Heath toward the exit a few minutes later, and just shrugged. "I was angry and hurt… and it just seemed right, you know? As if I could do it. I'm sure Maryse will have my ass handed to me in a few days, but hey, it was worth it. I showed her I'm not scared, I'm not to be fucked with anymore."

"Are they still annoying you?"

"Rarely, well, except for today, like I told you. I don't really know what they expect me to do. I'm not a child; I don't give into shit like that. I won't let them bring me down. I'm on a mission, I will succeed. It's only a matter of time." Looking around her, she only offered a weak smile. "I hear I also have a great trainer."

"You're definitely in better spirits these days," Heath finally said. "I like it."

"I just was… on top. I liked it. A lot."

Heath didn't say anything in return, but opened the door to his rental car. She sat down inside and just stared for a minute. Her body ached, but she felt really full on the inside. She felt like her core was better, her mindset even more structured. As if nothing could bring her down… it was a feeling she didn't have in weeks, and it was overwhelmingly welcomed.

Once in a bar, Heath sat down and finally answered her. "I say you've finally caught the full wrestling bug, Liz."

"What?"

"It's the look in your eyes. You're ready. You look determined."

"I am ready," she whispered.

He held up his drink and offered a smile. "And to you, my best friend and ass kicker… _naw mean_?"

"And to my crazy as best friend, and I refuse saying that word."

He laughed.

Just for a moment, Liz stopped and then raised her drink again. "And to Justin, for being the one who believed in me from day one… to him." Her hand shook a little, but she raised her drink even more and hit hers with Heath's. He probably saw the saddened look in her eyes, but she ignored him. As forgetting about Justin for even a second of happiness seemed to just kill her.

* * *

**Poor Liz, lol. REVIEW.**


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